The Hindu
BJP president Amit Shah with former IPS officer and Chief Ministerial candidate for Delhi Assembly Kiran Bedi during a press conference in New Delhi. File photo: Sushil Kumar Verma
Brushing aside murmurs of dissent, the BJP on Monday named new entrant Kiran Bedi, a former IPS officer, as its Chief Ministerial candidate for the February 7 Delhi Assembly elections.
Making the announcement after a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Board, party president Amit Shah said the decision of fielding 65-year-old Ms. Bedi was “unanimous”.
He said BJP will contest the crucial polls for the 70-member Assembly under Ms. Bedi’s leadership.
She will contest from the Krishna Nagar seat in East Delhi, considered a BJP stronghold.
The Parliamentary Board meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj among others.
Resentment stories exaggerated, BJP organised party: Bedi
Describing BJP as an “amazing and organised” party, Ms. Bedi dismissed as “exaggerated” reports of brewing resentment within it over her possible projection as the party’s chief ministerial candidate.
Ms. Bedi, who was the country’s first IPS officer, claimed BJP workers are happy and united over her induction in the party and likened the comments against her to as differing voices in a family.
“It’s all exaggerated. I am an insider now. They (party workers) are very happy. They are very united. You can have a voice even in a family here and there. Party workers are happy, enthused and united,” she said.
According to sources in the party, a number of senior Delhi BJP leaders were also not happy over the way Ms. Bedi has been projecting herself as the chief ministerial choice just four days after her induction into the party.
Earlier in the day, party MP Manoj Tiwari said Ms. Bedi is just a worker as of now and that the “best option” for the party would be to project Narendra Modi as its face in the campaign.
Asked about Mr. Tiwari’s comments, Ms. Bedi said, “I will go and have a cup of tea with him. It’s all about unity -- there are no egos involved -- we are all here for a higher purpose so that Delhi does not become a hub of disturbances.”
Describing BJP as an “amazing and organised” party, she said it was a “mystery when and how my thoughts changed and I decided to join politics”.
“I don’t know when I started. There was no plan. For me it’s India first. I will continue to serve whether I win or lose,” he said.
Ms. Bedi, a former Team Anna member, was severely critical of Arvind Kejriwal when he had decided to float Aam Aadmi Party.
Mr. Kejriwal had even requested her to become chief ministerial candidate of AAP which she turned down.
“Probably that was not the moment. Mr. Modi has positive energy,” she said when asked why she didn’t pay heed to Mr. Kejriwal’s request.
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